Tinubu congratulates newly elected UICC president
Tinubu congratulates newly elected UICC president
Abdullateef Fowewe
President Bola Tinubu has congratulated the former First Lady of Kebbi State, Dr Zainab Shinkafi-Bagudu, on her election as President of the Union for International Cancer Control.
Shinkafi-Bagudu’s election victory on Tuesday, October 8, marks the first African and the fifth woman to lead the global cancer control organisation.
Tinubu in a statement issued on Wednesday by his Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, noted that Shinkafi-Bagudu’s election attests to her competence and character and affirms the enormous talents that abound in Nigeria.
The statement reads in part, “President Bola Ahmed Tinubu congratulates Dr Zainab Shinkafi-Bagudu, a renowned paediatrician with a distinguished career in public health and former First Lady of Kebbi State, on her election as President of the Union for International Cancer Control (UICC).
“President Tinubu describes Shinkafi-Bagudu’s ascension in the organisation as a landmark achievement and a testament to Nigeria’s growing influence in global health leadership.
“President Tinubu recalls Dr Shinkafi-Bagudu’s invaluable services to Kebbi state and the country, for which Nigeria is deeply grateful. He lauds her stewardship as Chairperson of the First Ladies Cancer Initiative and her contributions to establishing the Kebbi State Strategic Plan for Cancer Control during her tenure as the First Lady of Kebbi State.”
Onanuga said Tinubu expressed confidence in Shinkafi-Bagudu’s ability to use her new office and leadership to improve cancer control and global health.
Shinkafi-Bagudu founded the Medicaid Cancer Foundation. She is also a Senior Advisor to the Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare and Vice Chair of Nigeria’s National Taskforce on Cervical Cancer Elimination.
Through the Federal Ministry of Health and international partnerships, Nigeria has successfully vaccinated 12 million girls against the Human Papillomavirus, a leading cause of cervical cancer.
The administration has allocated N37.4 billion to the Federal Ministry of Health’s Oncology Initiative.
The initiative will facilitate the establishment of six cancer centres across the country within two years, located in teaching hospitals in Benin, Zaria, Katsina, Enugu, Jos, and Lagos.
The Geneva-based UICC was founded in 1933 and has more than 1100 member organisations in over 170 countries and territories.
